What's new

Fields on DVD? (1 Viewer)

John Watson

Screenwriter
Joined
Jul 14, 2002
Messages
1,936
Does anyone know : When, oh, when, will we get more WC Fields on DVD?

I want "My Little Chickadee"; "Its a Gift"; and especially "Poppy"

They would sit beside "The Bank Dick", and get played regularly, I promise!

Also, I'd like to see the film bio, with Rod Steiger - WC FIELDS & ME
 

Patrick McCart

Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 16, 2001
Messages
8,196
Location
Georgia (the state)
Real Name
Patrick McCart
Ask Universal.

Actually... I think most of the Paramount films owned by Universal are in poor condition, so we may have to wait for watchable editions.
 

Jon Robertson

Screenwriter
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
1,568
Count me in, John. Criterion's two discs just aren't enough!

If Universal can release a bunch of Don Knotts discs, then they certainly should put out loads of Fields' movies as well. Since most of his films are barely over an hour, you could easily fit two or even three on a dual-layer disc.

Add Never Give A Sucker An Even Break, Six of a Kind, The Old-Fashioned Way, You're Telling Me, International House, If I Had A Million (even though Fields is only in it for a short while) and The Man on the Flying Trapeze to that list!
 

John Watson

Screenwriter
Joined
Jul 14, 2002
Messages
1,936
Guess I hadn't seen THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1938 when I posted this earlier.

Its on a double bill of a BOB HOPE DVD, and I just watched it last night.

Absolutely hilarious, and with the Ed Sulllivan quality of entertainment lineup that the plot allows, very entertaining in other ways.


"The above message composed entirely of recycled electrons"
 

Eric Peterson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
2,959
Real Name
Eric Peterson
I'm in!!

I haven't seen any of Fields's features, but after seeing both of the Criterion discs - I want more.

By the way, has anybody read the new W.C. Fields biography that just came out? I'm thinking of picking it up.
 

Derek_McL

Second Unit
Joined
Apr 5, 2003
Messages
316
Yes Fields was one of the great comedy geniuses of the 20th century. I believe one of his silent features : Sally of the Sawdust is also available on DVD : does anyone own this ? A series of double feature DVDs along the lines of the Bob Hope/Bing Crosby ones would be great. Are you listening Universal and while you're at it why not dust down the first five Marx Brothers'films ?
 

Brian PB

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 31, 2003
Messages
671
When I was about 12 or 13, a local TV station used to run a double feature on Friday nights, with a W.C. Fields picture followed by a Marx Brothers picture. My dad & I would stay up late to watch them & laugh ourselves silly. My Fields Faves (roughly in order):

It's a Gift (1934/McLeod/Paramount)--owned by Universal
Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935/Bruckman/Paramount)--owned by Universal
The Bank Dick (1940/Cline/Universal)--released by Criterion
The Old Fashioned Way (1934/Beaudine/Paramount)--owned by Universal
You're Telling Me (1934/Kenton/Paramount)--owned by Universal
(Amazingly, there were FIVE releases in 1934 starring Fields.)

I've never been a big fan of My Little Chickadee or Never Give a Sucker an Even Break.

Universal should drop whatever they're doing & get these out on DVD!
 

Paul Drake

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 5, 2003
Messages
240
By the way, has anybody read the new W.C. Fields biography that just came out? I'm thinking of picking it up.
I have not read the newest one, but I did read Simon Louvish's book "Man on a Flying Trapeze" from a year or so ago. It is ok, but it wouldn't take much to improve on it.
The new one is on my list to read.

I also read his "Stan and Ollie" and was very disappointed. The book as written contained virtually no interviews with surviving principals (Stan's daughter, people who worked on the films, etc.). It didn't really provide any insight above and beyond what's already been published. It seemed to be a 500 page narrative rather than a biography.

Have read Gary Giddon's in depth (and very well researched) bio of Bing Crosby, the bar has definitely been raised as to what makes a good bio.
 

Jon Robertson

Screenwriter
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
1,568
As someone who went to see Never Give A Sucker An Even Break here in London not two weeks ago (to a sold-out and hugely appreciative audience), you can certainly give this sucker an even deal on the DVD release.
 

Eric Peterson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
2,959
Real Name
Eric Peterson
Paul,

Thanks for the info on the biographies. I just ordered the new one and will let you know what I think after reading it. The reviews on Amazon seemed pretty glowing, so I figured that I'd take a chance.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,810
Messages
5,123,551
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top